Vending machine



May 26, 1931 R. w. HULL ET AL VENDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 23 1928 jig-1 May 26, 1931. R. w. HULL ETAL VENDING MACHINE FiledJuly 23', 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I l I I I a I d lLl-Ill 172 3267722976m M .W

*owflqg May 26, 1931. R. w. HULL ET AL 1,807,532

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1928 6 SheetsSheet Z5 5 11412 2Z 17 13 j1 J5 l M J 6Z%&g1 77e3 May 26, 1931; R. w. HULL ET AL VENDING MACHINEFiled July 23, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 llllllnlrimv nlivlafl May 26, 1931.R. w. HULL ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5May 26, 1931. w R. w. HULL ETAL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1928 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented May 26, 1931 ROBERT W. HULL, OF HINGHAIXI, ANDWILLIAM J.

MASSACHUSETTS; SAID MACDONALD ASSIGNGR TO SAID HULL VENDING Applicationfiled July 23,

Our present invention relates to vending machines, and more particularlyto machines adapted to vend or dispense articles from columns or stacksafter insertion, in themachine, of a suitable or proper coin.

An important object of the present invention is to construct a machinewith a minimum number of moving, reciprocating, or operating parts, andto eliminate the large number of springs heretofore utilized in vendingor dispensing machines. We prefer utilizing only a single springin ournovel machine, and in fact we can dispense With even this one spring, ifdesired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine containinga plurality of columns of articles to be dispensed, and to provide,externally of the machine, a single operating handle, by means of whichsingle handle articles from any predetermined number of columns can besimultaneously discharged from the machine. This is an important featurefrom many standpoints, in that it simplifies the manufacture andconstruction of the machine, and also greatly simplifies the operationof the machine. Thus if a purchaser desires to secure several articlesfrom our machine, he will predetermine from what columns he wishes saidarticles, and by insertion of the proper number of coins, in theirproper locations, he may then, by a single operation of the singleoperating handle, secure all of the articles desired simultaneously.Anotherobject of the invention is the provision of novel means wherebycolumns of difierent width may be'utilized in the same machine, toaccomodate articles of difierent sizes, thus afiording'the purchaser awide range of choice or selectionfrom asingle machine.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of novelmeans to prevent discharge of articlesfrom the machine when a coin ofsmaller dimensions than that intended is utilized.

Another feature of our novel machine resides in the provision ofnovelmeans, automatically operable, to return a coin to a prospectivepurchaser if the particular column MACHINE 1928. Serial No. 294,634.

from which said is empty.

A still further feature of the invention consists in the fact that allof the columns in our novel machine are removable. Thus said columns maybe loaded while in the machine, or they may be removed from the machinefor loading outside thereof.

Another and important feature of novelty in our machine resides in thefact that we are enabled, in a compact machine, to provide a largernumber of columns of articles than has heretofore been deemed possible.This important feature is made possible by the arrangement of columnswithin our machine, wherein a plurality of rows of vertical columns ormagazines arranged side by side, extend longitudinally of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to propurchaser wishes an articlevide coin chutes or mechanisms leading to each of said columns,these'coin chutes being inclined, and arranged one above the other. Onthe front of the machine is a suitable display portion, indicating thearticles contained by the individual columns, and the coin entrances areso located with relation to this display portion that a purchaser caninstantly determine into which coin entrance a coin must be inserted inorder to obtain therefrom a desired article;

MACDONALD, OF WATER-TOWN,

' Another object of the invention resides in V the provision of a simplerack and gear mechanism, operated by the single handle above mentioned.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means tocompel complete operation of the machine in one direction before it canbe returned to normal position,

this last mentioned means comprising a twoway pawl associated withone ofthe above mentioned racks, said pawl cooperating with a suitable ratchetpreferably formed in one ofv the rack guiding tracks or walls.

In carrying out our present invention, we provide, in a. suitablecabinet creasing, a pair of movable racks, each having a predeterminedrange or length of movement or travel. Meshing with these racks are apair of gears, fixed to a shaft extending outside of said casing. Asingle operating handle is affixed to the outer end of said shaft,rotation of said handle in turn rotating said gears and moving saidracks longitudinally of the machine.

Affixed to said racks, at predetermined intervals, are trays, each trayhaving a plurality of coin receiving recesses therein. Slidably mountedin suitable tracks, over each of said trays, are a plurality of pushermembers or ejectors, each ejector having a coin receiving slot orchannel therein. Located over each of said ejectors is a column ormagazine adapted to receive a column or stack of articles. Movement orthe racks by said operating handle will also move all of said trays inthe same direction as the direction of travel of said racks. hen it isdesired to secure an article from one of said magazines, a suitablecoin, such as a nickel, is inserted in the proper coin entrance, andafter passing through the chute, said coin will come to rest in thegroove in said ejector and also in the cooperating coin receivingrecesses in the movable tray. I

Now, on movement of the racks and trays. the ejector which is engaged bythe nickel will also move in the same direction as the trays and racks,and will cause the discharge of the desired article from its column. Asthe trays travel along their paths, the coin recesses therein are alinedwith cooperating slots in fixed plates under said trays, and on reachinga predetermined position the article will have been entirely removedfrom the column, and the nickel will drop through the slot in said fixedplate, whence it will travel, through a suitable chute, to a locked coinreceptacle. On release ofthe handle, after the trays and racks havereached the limit of their travel, we provide a single spring, whichwill automatically cause the return of all the racks, trays, andejector, to normal position. In place of the sprin we may utilize aweight to effect the return of said elements, if desired.

Should a purchaser desire to secure more than one article from saidmachine, he may insert a coin in as many difl erent coin entrances as hedesires. Thereupon, movement of the trays will move all of the ejectorswhich have been engaged by nickels, and will remove a article from eachcolumn controlled by said coin-engaged ejectors. On return of the traysand ejectors to normal position, the articles removed from the columnsor stacks will be discharged into a. suitable trough at the front of themachine, where they will be readily accessible to the purchaser, all ofthe coins having meanwhile traveled through the chutes in the finedplates above mentioned and been deposited in the coin receptacle.

Columns for articles of any width or length may be provided, withinreasonable ranges or" size, of course, each of these columns, regardlessof its width or length, being provided with means to secure it in placein the machine.

The movement of the ejectors and movable trays will, of course, alwaysbe uniform, and when columns of varying sizes are utilized, such columnswill be spaced nearer to or further from the ejectors as occasion mayrequire,

Should a person endeavor to operate our novel machine with a smallercoin than that intended for said machine, we have provided novel meanswhereby said coin will be returned to the purchaser, or if the smallercoin should by any chance lodge in the ejector and movable tray,movement of the tray would carry the coin with said tray, but would notoperate the ejector.

hen the stack of articles from any column is exhausted, we have provideda pivoted arm, normally held upright by the column of articles, butwhich arm, after the passage of the last articlethereby, will drop,through a suitable aperture in the side of the col 1 chute, into thepath of succeedingv coins, deflecting said coins in such manner thatthey will be returned to the purchaser or operator.

We believe that our machine, as above de scribed, is novel, and havetherefore claimed the same broadly in the present application.

The above and other features and objects of the invention, details ofconstruction, combinations of parts, advantages, and operation, will behereinafter more fully pointed out, described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of thepresent invention,

Fig. 1 is a machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional line 27-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-74 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a crossssectional view on the. line 55 of Fig. i;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail, on an enlarged scale, of the operatinghandle, rack and gear, coin chute, ejector, movable tray and fixedplate;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view, partly broken away, of the rack andgear mechanism, and the two-way pawl and ratchet device;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View, on an enlarged scale, on the line88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to ig. 8, but illustrating the ejectorafter having removed the lowermost article from the column;

front elevation of our novel view on the Fig. 11 is aperspective view ofthe pusher member or ejector;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the movable trays located over afixed plate, and the spring means to automatically return said trays tonormal position; v

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the magazines;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view on the line 1414 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional View 011 the line 1515 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings for a particular description of theinvention, its con struction, assembly and operation, our novel machinecomprises frame members 1 secured to which are side, top, bottom andcross frames, angles or strips 1a, and removably mounted in the front ofthis frame is a plate 2 having thereon a display portion or cabinet 3within which are mounted plurality of articles 4 to indicate topurchasers the contents of the machine. These articles are protected byremovable transparent panels 5, and are held in position by tacks orpointed members 6 which penetrate through the plate 2. The cabinet 3 hascoin entrances 7 positioned beside each of the articles, the purchaserdepositing his coin, such as a nickel, in the coin entranceadjacent tothe article which he desires to purchase.

Above the plate 2 is another removable plate 8, and below the plate 2 isa plate 9a, which may be fixed or removable, as desired, althoughpreferably being fixed.

If it should be desired, at any, time, to rearrange the articles withinthe display case 3, the plate 8 may be readily removed, following whichthe plate 2 carrying the case 3 may be removed, the glass panels takenout, and any desired arrangement made of the articles within the casing.I r

The plate 8 has; thereon a flange or protecting strip 9 to cover andprotect the top of the casing 3, there. being suitable interlocking lugson the casing, as clearly shown at 10 in Fig. 2. 1

The top or cover 11 is provided, having lugs 11a adapted to catch underone of the frames 1, and I provide a suitable locking bolt 12 engagingina cam 13. Release of the locking bolt 12 permits the cam 13 to berotated, by means of the knob-14, thus withdrawing the bolts 15, 15, 15from under the frame members 1 and permitting the top to be raised.

Guides 16 for the bolts or rods 15 are provided, one end of each rod 15being pivotally secured to the cam 13.

Secured to certain of'the frame members 1 are upright L-members 17arranged at predetermined intervals throughout the length of themachine, and adjacent to the tops of these L-members are afiixedcross-bars 18 recess 19 in the cross-bar 18. This secures the magazinein position at the upper end. At their lower ends the channel members 20are united by a bar or brace 25. In order to secure the magazines inposition at theirbot toms, in the machine, we provide, on each magazine,a pair of flanges 26 having apertures 27 therein. Running longitudinallyof the machine are a plurality of tracks or rails 28, and on theserails, at predetermined intervals, are pins 29, over which the apertures27 in the flanges 26 will fit. These flanges will be of the samelength,regardless of the size of the magazine, and thus we are enabled toposition, in our novel machine, a wide range of sizes of magazines, tocarry a wide range of sizes of articles. Fig. 4 illustrates some of themagazines in position, and also the space or positions for othermagazines, but a glance at Fig. 4 will indicate the variation in size ofthe magazines utilized. For example, the magazine indicated at 30 ismuch shorter and narrower than the magazine indicated These magazinesare adapted and intended to carry articles indicated at 32, 32, thesearticles being of different sizes, shapes and contours.

Under each magazine is slidably mounted an ejector 33 having a face 34adapted to engage one edge of the lowermost article in each column orstack. Each ejector has a plate 35, of greater width than the ejector,the extending edges of said plate riding in grooves 36 in the rails 28,and the ejectors being guided thereby. The ejector 33 also has anaperture 37 therethrough, through which a suitable coin is adapted topass.

The aperture 37 is adapted to be alined,

when the ejector 33 is in normal position, as

illus rated in Fig. 8, with an aperture 38 in a sliding tray 39. Each ofthese trays extends the full width of the machine and are secured attheir ends to racks 40. As illustrated in the drawings, our novelmachine is constructed to accommodate twelve magazines, alif though itwill be readily understood that this s optional, and that we mayconstruct our machines to accommodate or carry as many ,magazines asdesirable. Each tray 39, therefore, extends under three magazines, andeach tray will have three apertures 38 therein, alined with each of theapertures 37 in the three ejectors 33 in that line. Beneath each tray 39is a fixed plate 41 securedto a rib or wall 42, this rib 42 and the ribor wall 43 serving as guides for the racks d in their longitudinaltravel. The racks 40, there being one of these racks at front and backof the machine, will be understood, run on tracks or supper hen a coin,such a nickel, has be a inserted through one of the entrances 7 it willcome to rest partly in the aperture 3 and will extend through theaperture 3 and will rest on the plate a1, having engagement vith each ofthe ejcctors 33 and tray 39.

lvlovement is in'ipartcd to the racks l0 by means of a pair of gears -lmounted on a shaft is extending from the front to the back of themachine. A portion of this shaft projects beyond the front of themachine and has therein a handle 47. The gears mesh with the teeth at;on the racks lO. Rotation of the handle to the right, or in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 7, will cause a rotation of thegears which will in turn impart longitudinal movement or travel to theracks l0 to the right. he racks 40 will, ot'coursc, carry with them thetrays 39, which are affixed to said racks.

Assuming a. nickel, indicated at 49, to be positioned in one of theejectors 33, it will be readily seen that movement of the tray to theright will cause the ejector 33 to also move to the right, see Figs. 8and 10. As the ejectors 33 more to the right, the face 3d thereof willengage the lowermost article of the stack, here illustrated as 50, andwill separate said article from the stack and move it transverselythereof. V] hen the racks have completed the limit of their movement,the article will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 10, resting onthe plate 35, while the ejector 33 is acting as a support for theremainder of the stack. At the same time the nickel will have come intoalinement with a chute 52 depending from the plate 41, and will dropthercinto. The nickel will then be deposited in a suitable coinreceptacle, as indicated at 53, the chutes 52 being inclined toward saidreceptacle, and said receptacle being inclined to the left, as viewed inFig.

0. Access to this coin receptacle may be had through the side of themachine.

'lhe racks d0, trays 39 and ejectors 33 are now at their extreme limitof movement to the right, the stop 54 naving stopped the ejector, andthe racks being limited by the extent of the teeth tnereon.

In order to automatically return said racks, trays, and ejector-s tonormal position, after release of the handle d7, we provide a spring 55fixed to an eye 56 at the top of the machine, and fixed at its lower endto a flexible element 57, such as a cord. Said cord 57 runs over apulley 58 mounted in a bracket 59 on the plate all which is nearest tothe left oi the machine. The cord 57 is then aiiixed to the tray 39which is immediately above the last mentioned plate 41. On release ofthehandle 47, therefore, the tension of the spring 55 will pull on saidtray, and will return said tray, as well as the racks 10 to which it issecured, and the other trays, to normal position. Each ejector has adepending edge 60 engaged by the tray 39, and the ejector-s which havebeen moved will also thus be automatically returned to normal position.

As the ejector moves to normal position, the article 50 will strikeagainst the next succeeding article 61, which will have de scended to aposition on top of the ejector 33, and upon travel of the plate 35 toits normal position, the article 50 will be tumbled 0d, and willdescend, through a large chute (32, into a trough 63 at the front of themachine, an opening 64: being provided immediately above this trough topermit the operator or purchaser to obtain the articles discharged fromthe machine.

As the plate 35 is returned to normal position, the article 61 will droponto said plate, said plate thus serving as a support for the stackuntil the operation is repeated. The walls of the channels 20 are cutaway, at the bottom, as indicated at 65, to permit the passage of thelowermost article thereunder.

To prevent upward movement of the racks 40 during their travel, guides66 are provided.

It is desirable that each operation of the machine shall be completed,and for this purpose we provide, on the front rack 40, a pivoted two-waypawl 67 adapted to engage a ratchet 68 formed on the top of the guiderail l3. Once the pawl has engaged this ratchet, movement of the racks40 to the right must be completed, or the pawl will hold the machine inthe position to which it has been moved. Once cleared of the ratchet,however, after completion of the operation, the pawl will drag, with therack 40, back to normal position.

In order to insure operation of the machine by the proper coins, weprovide a plurality of coin mechanisms 69, each having therein aplurality of coin chutes 70, 70, 70. Each of these mechanisms 69 isarranged at the rear of each set of magazines, each chute 70 beingalined with a coin entrance 7. When a coin of the proper size isinserted through a predetermined entrance 7, it will travel through thecorresponding chute 70, and strike against a pin 71, which will deflectsaid coin into the aperture 37 in the ejector 33. If a smaller coin thanintended is utilized, however, it

will not strike the pin 71, but will travel on through the chute, andwill be carried through an inclined aperture 72 and returned to thepurchaser by means of the chute 62. If, by any chance, a smaller coinshould strike the pin 71 and be deflected into the apertures in theejector 33 and tray 39, and the handle 4:7 were operated, the tray 35)would move forwardly, carrying the coin, but said coin would travelthrough an arcuate therefor held in groove 73 formed in the under partof the ejector 33. Thereupon it would drop into the chute 52 and fromthence to the coin mechanism. This action is clearly illustrated in Fig.9, where the smaller coin, indicated at 74, is illustrated as of smallerdimensions than the groove 7 3, thus permitting thepassage of the coinunder the ejector 33 without operating the same. The pin 75 will alsoassist in guiding coins into the apertures 37 and 38.

In order to prevent loss of a coin to a purchaser after a magazine isempt we provide the novel mechanism now to e described. On the shaft 80adjacent to the bottom of each magazine is pivoted an arm 81. The lowerend 82 of this arm is engaged by the articles in the magazine, and thearm 81 is a vertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 8. Upon thedischarge of the last article from a magazine, however, the arm 81,because. of its weight, will drop, and will enter a slot 83 in the wallof the chute 70, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. and in fulllines in Fig. 6. When in this position, the arm 81 will be directlyabovethe aperture 37 in the ejector 33. A coin inserted when the arm 81is in this position, will strike the arm81, and be deflected by saidarm, as well as by the pin 75, into the aperture or channel 72, andthence returned, by way of the chute 62, to the purchaser. On refillingan empty magazine, the weight of the articles inserted therein willremove the arm 81 from the path of the coin, and again permit successfuloperation of the machine.

Spacing washers 84 are utilized to retain the walls of the coin chutes 7O a predetermined distance apart.

The operation of our novel machine is simple in the extreme, and will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art, being briefly describedas follows:

A. purchaser inserts, through one or more of the coin entrances 7 acoin, or coins, for example, a nickel. He may, if desired, insert a coinin every entrance. These coins will follow or travel through the chutes70, and will come to rest in the aperture3' 7 in the ejectors 33, and inthe aperture 38 in the trays 39, resting on the fixed plates 41.

Rotation of the handle 47 in the proper dirction will came the gears tomove the racks 41-0 to the right, carrying with said racks the trays 39,and, through the medium of the coins, certain of the ejectors 33. Theface 34 of each ejector in which a coin has been positioned, will engagethe lowermost article of the column, said article resting on the plateContinued movement will separate this iowermost article from the stackand move it forwardly, the next-to-the-lowermost article dropping ontothe ejector 33 after the lowermost article has passed from the magazine.Upon cessation of movement, and release of the handle, the spring willretract the trays 39 and racks 40, and also, because of the bottomprojections 60, the ejectors 33 which have been moved. The'coins will,of course, have passed through the chutes leading from-ch plates 41 tothe coin receptacle. is the ejectors are retracted, the article whichhas been separated from the stack will strike the article which is nowresting on the ejector, and as the plate 35 is withdrawn from under saidarticle, it will drop or tumble from the plate 35, and descend, by wayof the chute C2, to the trough 63. It will be understood that all of.the articles desired, and for which coins have beeninserted in themachine, will drop simultaneously, thus greatly expediting the speed ofoperation, and simplifying the machine to a great degree. Upon emptyingof any magazine, the arm 31 will-operate to prevent operation of themachine by a coin inserted for that particular magazine, and said coinwill be returned to the purchaser in the manner above described. Thusthe purchaser is insured against loss of his coin when the magazine fromwhich he desires an article is empty.

This feature of being enabled to secure any desired number of articlessimultaneou ly, and 'by only one operation of the machine, will appealto those skilled in the art as well as to the general public.

l/Vhile we have necessarily described our present invention somewhat indetail, it will be appreciated that we may vary the size, shape andarrangement of parts within reasonablv wide limits, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. Vile may also, as will be readilyunderstood, construct our novel machine with any desired number ofmagazines, and it will be apparent that we are enabled to accommodate,in a compact machine, a larger number of magazines than in priormachines of this type.

Our invention is further described and defined in the form of claims asfollows:

1. In a vending machine, a column of articles, an ejector located at oneside of the lowermost article and having a coin receiving recesstherein, a portion of said ejector extending under and supporting saidcolumn, a tray slidably mounted beneath said ejector .and having a coinreceiving recess alined with the recess in said ejector, means to movesaid tray and said ejector transversely of said column, and meansoperated by ejection of the last article from said column, to preventreception of a coin in the coin receiving recess of said ejector.

2. In a vending machine, a column of articles, an ejector located at oneside of the lowermost article, a tray slidably mounted beneath saidejector, means to move said tray and said ejector transversely of saidcolumn, and means operated by ejection of the last article from saidcolumn, to prevent reception of a'coin in the coin receiving recess ofsaid ejector.

3. In a vending machine, a column of articlei, an ejector located at oneside of the lowermost article and having a coin receiving recesstherein, a tray mounted beneath said ejector and having a coin receivingrecess alined with the recess in said ejector, means to move said traytransversely of said column, said ejector being inoperative unless acoin is positioned in said recesses, and means operated by ejection ofthe last article from said column, to prevent reception of a coin in thecoin receiving recess of said ejector.

4. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, and means to move said traystransversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coins havebeen received moving with the trays.

5. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays transverselyof said columns, only those ejectors in which coins have been receivedmoving with the trays to eject articles from their respective columns,and.means to limit the travel of said ejectors.

G. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays transverselyof said columns, only thoseejectors in .which coins have been receivedmoving with the trays to eject articles from their respective columns,means to limit the travel of said ejector-s, and means to automaticallyreturn said trays and said ejectors to normal position.

7. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays transverselyof said columns, only those ejectors in which coins have been receivedmoving with the trays, a fixed plate under each Leo'mas of said traysand having a slot therein, said coins, at a predetermined positionduring the travel of sail ejectors and trays, entering said slots, and areceptacle in which said coins are deposited.

8. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the. lowermost article in each column and havinga coin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positionedunder each of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alinedwith the recess in a corres 'iondin'gejector, means to move said traystransversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coins havebeen received moving with the trays,and means operated by ejection ofthe last article from a column, to 'ireven't reception of a coin in thecoin receiving recess of the ejector which operates on that column.

9. In 'a vending machine, an ejector having a coin receiving aperturetherein, a tray be neath said ejector, said tray having a coin receivingrecess normally al'ined with the aperture in said ejector, said ejectoralso having an arcuate groove on its under surface whereby coins ofsmaller dimensions than intended to operate said ejector will travelwith said tray under said ejector without moving the same.

10. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shait, a plurality of trays a'liixed to saidracks, each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation ofsaid handle effecting movement of said racks and said trayslongitudinally of the machine, a column of: articles above each tray, anejector at one side of the lower most article in each column and havinga coin receiving aperture therein, and means to admit a coin to theaperture in each of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in saidtray, movement of said trays causing movement of such ejectors as havecoins therein to eject the lowermost article from each of the columnscontrolled by said last named ejectors.

11. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mount ed, a handleon the outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays affixed to saidracks, each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation ofsaid handle effecting movement of said racks and said trayslongitudinally of the machine, a column of articles above each tray, anejector at one side of the lower most article in each column and havinga coin receiving aperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperturein each of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray,movement of said trays causing movement of such ejectors as have coinstherein to eject the lowermost article from each of the columns controlled by said last named ejectors, a fixed plate under each of saidtrays each having a slot therein, a coin receptacle, and chutes leadingfrom said slots to said receptacle, said coins, at a predeterminedposition during the travel of said ejectors and trays dropping throughsaid slots.

12. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays aflixed to said racks,each tray having acoin receiving recess therein, rotation of said handleeflecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinally of themachine, a column ofarticles above each tray, an ejector at one side ofthe lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trayscausingmovement of such ejectors as have coins therein to eject thelowermost article from each of the columns controlled by said last namedejectors, and'means to automatically return said ejectors and trays tonormal position.

13. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays affixed to said racks,each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of saidhandle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinally ofthe machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trayscausing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein to eject thelowermost article from each of the columns controlled by said last namedejectors, and means to limit the travel of said ejectors.

is, In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays affixed to said racks,each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of said.handle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinally ofthe machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture thereimineans to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trayscausing movement of such ej "tors have coins therein to eject thelowerinost article from each of the columns controlled by said lastnamed ejectors, and means to guide said ejectors during their travel.

15. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mount ed, a handleon the outer end ofsald shaft,

a plurality of trays affixed to said racks each tray having a coinreceiving recess therein rotation of said handle efiecting movement ofsaid racks and said trays longitudinally of the machine, a column ofarticles above each tray,

an ejector at one side of the lowermost article in each column andhaving a coin receiving columns of articles, an ejector located at oneide of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingrecess therein, a movable tray normally positioned under each of saidcolumns and having a coin receiving recess alined with the recess in acorresponding ejector, and means to simultaneously move all of saidtrays transversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coinshave been received moving with the trays.

17. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, and a single operating handle tosimultaneously move all of said trays transversely of said columns, onlythose ejectors in which coins have been received moving with the trays.18. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays aflixed to said racks,each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of saidhandle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinallyofthe machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trayscausing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein to eject thelowermost article from each of the columns a controlled by said lastnamed'ejectors, means to guide said e ectors durlng their travel, andmeans to limit the travel of sald ejectors.

the columns controlled 19. In a vending machine, a rack on each sidethereof, a gear engaging each of said racks, a shaft on which said gearsare mounted, a handle on the outer end of said shaft, a plurality oftrays ailixed to said racks, each tray having a coin receiving recesstherein, rotation of said handle effecting movement of said racks andsaid trays longitudinally of the machine, a column of articles aboveeach tray, an ejector at one side of the lowermost article in eachcolumn and having a coin receiving aperture therein, means to admit acoin to the aperture in each of said ejectors and its cooperating recessin said tray, move ment of said trays causing movement of such ejectorshave coins therein to eject the lowermost article from each of thecolumns controlled by said last named ejectors, means to guide saidejectors during their travel, means to limit the travel of saidejectors, and means to automatically return all of said trays and saidmoved 'ejectors to normal posit-ion.

20. In a vending machine, a column of articlcs, an ejector located atoneside of the lowermost article and havinga coin receiving recess therein,a portion of said ejector extending under and supporting said column, atray slidably mounted beneath said ejector and having a coin receivingrecess alined with the recess in said ejector, means to move said trayand said ejector transversely of said column, and means operated byejection of the last article from said column, to automatically ejectsubIZe Uently inserted coins from said machine.

21. In a vending machine, a rackon each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays fifllTiQCl to saidracks, each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation ofsaid handle effecting movement of said racks and said trayslongitudinally of the machine, a column of articles above each tray, anejector at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving aperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperturein each of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray,movement of sai d trays causing movement of such ejectors as have coinstherein to eject the lowermo article from each of the columns controlledby said last named ejectors, a fixed plate under each of said trays,each having a slot therein. a coin receptacle, and inclined chutesleading from said slots to said receptacle, said coins, at predeterminedposition during the travel of said ejectors a-nd trays dropping throughsaid slots.

22. In vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks. a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a

plurality of trays aliixc'd to said racks, each tray having a coinreceiving recess therein, rotation of said handle effecting movement ofsaid racks and said trays longitudinally of the machine, a column ofarticles above each tray, an ejector at one side of the lowermostarticle in each column and having a coin receiving aperture therein,means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of said ejcctors and itscooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trays causing movementof such ejectors as have coins therein to eject the lowermost articlefrom each of the columns controlled by said last named ejectors, a fixedplate under each of said trays, each having a slot therein, a coinreceptacle, chutes leading from said slots to said receptacle, saidcoins, at a predetermined position during the travel of said ejectorsand trays dropping through said slots, and means operated by ejection ofthe last article from a column to prevent receptionof a coin in the coinreceiving recess f the ejector which operates on said column.

23. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays atfixed to said racks,each tray having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of said.handle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinally ofthe machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receiving aperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in eachof said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement ofsaid trays causing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein toeject the lowermost article from each of the columns controlled by saidlast named ejectors, a fixed plate under each of said trays, each havinga slot therein, a coin receptacle, chutes leading from said slots tosaid receptacle, said coins, at a predetermined position during thetravel of said ejectors and trays dropping through said slots, and apivoted arm adjacent to each of said chutes, each of said arms beingreleased by the ejection of the last article from a column, whereby saidarm projects into its adjacent chute to prevent reception of a coin inthe coin receiving recess of the ejector which operates on that column.

24. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays transverselyof said columns, only those ej ectors in which coins have been receivedmoving with the trays, and a pivoted lever operated by ejection of thelastarticle from a column to project into the path of a coin to preventreception of a coin in the coin receiving recess of the ejector whichoperates on that column.

25. In a vending machine, a column of articles, an ejector located atone side of the lowermost article and having a coin receiving recesstherein, a portion of said ejector extending under and supporting saidcolumn, a tray slidably mounted beneath said ejector and having a coinreceiving recess alined with the recess in said ejector, means to movesaid tray and said ejector transversely of said column, and a pivotedlever operated by ejection of the last article from a column to projectinto the path of a coin to prevent reception of a coin in the coinreceiving recess of the ejector which operates on that column.

26. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays as a unittransversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coins havebeen received moving with the trays to eject articles from theirrespective columns, and means to limit the travel of said ejectors.

27. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost articles in each column and havinga coin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positionedunder each of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alinedwith the recess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays asa unit transversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coinshave been received moving with the trays to eject articles from theirrespective columns, means to limit the travel of said ejectors, andmeans to automatically return said trays and said ejectors to normalposition.

28. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost articles in each column and havinga coin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positionedunder each of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alinedwith the recess in a corresponding ejector, means to move said trays asa unit transversely of said columns, only those ejectors in which coinshave been received moving with the trays to eject articles from theirrespective columns, means to limit the travel of said ejectors, and asingle means to automatically return said trays and said ejectors tonormal position.

29. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays afiixedto said racks,each tray having a coin receiving recess therein,

rotation of said handle effecting movement of said racks and said trayslongitudinally of the machine, a column of articles above each tray, anejector at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving aperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperturein each of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray,movement of said trays causing movement of such ejectors as have coinstherein to eject the lowermost article from each of the columnscontrolled by said last named ejectors, a fixed plate under each of saidtrays, each having a slot therein, a coin receptacle, chutes leadingfrom said slots'to saicl'receptacle, said coins, at a predeterminedposition during the travel of said ejectors and trays dropping throughsaid slots, and a pivoted arm adjacent to each of said chutes, each ofsaid arms being released by the ejection of the last article from acolumn, whereby said arm projects into its'adjacent chute to preventreception of-a coin in the coin receiving recess of the ejector whichoperates on that column, subsequent deposit of an article in said columnautomatically returning said arm to normal position.

30. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which 7 said gears are mounted, a handleon the outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays aflined to saidracks, each rack having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation ofsaid handle effecting movement of said racks and said trayslongitudinally of the machine, a column of articles above each tray, anejector at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving aperture therein, means to admit a. coin to the aperturein; each of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray,movement of said trays causing move ment of such ejectors as have coinstherein. to eject the lowermost article from each of the columnscontrolled by said last named ejectors, means to support said racks,means to guide said racks during their longitudinal movement, and asingle means to return said racks 'to normal position.

.31. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays afiixed to said racks,each rack having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of saidhandle efl'ecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinallyof the machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movement of said trayscausing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein to eject thelowermost article from each of the columns controlled by said last namedejectors, means to support said racks, means to guide said racks duringtheir longitudinal movement, and a single resilient means to return saidracks to normal position.

32. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shafton which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays aiiixed to said racks,each rack having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of saidhandle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudinally ofthe machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside 'of' the lowermost article in each column and having a coinreceiving aperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture ineach of said ejectors and its cooperating recess in said tray, movementof said trays causing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein toeject the lowermost article from each of the columns controlled by saidlast named ejectors, means to support said racks, means to guide saidracks during their longitudinal movement, and means to return said racksto normal position, return movement of said racks returning said traysand said moved ejectors to normal position.

33. In a vending machine, a rack on each side thereof, a gear engagingeach of said racks, a shaft on which said gears are mounted, a handle onthe outer end of said shaft, a plurality of trays aliixed to said racks,each rack having a coin receiving recess therein, rotation of said.handle effecting movement of said racks and said trays longitudin allyof the machine, a column of articles above each tray, an ejector at oneside of the lowermost article in each column and having a coin receivingaperture therein, means to admit a coin to the aperture in each of saidejectors and its cooperating recess in. said tray, movement of saidtrays causing movement of such ejectors as have coins therein to ejectthe lowermost article from each of the columns controlled by said lastnamed ejectors, means to support said racks, means to guide said racksduring their longitudinal movement, and means to return said racks andhence said trays to normal position, each of said ejectors having adependingportion engaging one side of its corresponding tray, wherebyreturn of said trays to normal position will automatically return saidmoved ejectors to normal position.

34. In a vending machine, a plurality of columns of articles, an ejectorlocated at one side of the lowermost article in each column and having acoin receiving recess therein, a movable tray normally positioned undereach of said columns and having a coin receiving recess alined with therecess in a corresponding ejector, means tomove said trays

